how can i vote in the next election

Like paddyann, I am so glad we do have another option in Scotland. I have voted Tory( probably just once), Labour and Liberal years ago and never felt I was really confident who would do the best job. Leaving Scottish Independence to one side( which I do support), with devolution and now an SNP government, huge changes have been made in Scotland within the restrictions of reserved/devolved issues. We are genuinely trying to secure a fairer, more equal society, to protect the NHS, and to ameliorate the worst effects of Tory-imposed austerity. As Labour do not seem to have been an effective opposition party and perhaps abandoned their roots, I understand why those of you who are in England are wondering whether to vote at all. Perhaps an Independent or Green candidate who has impressed you with their character/experience, etc is the best option? Or, if you feel Tory policies have been too damaging, grit your teeth and vote Labour anyway as they are probably the only party apart from Tory that could secure a majority?
I am desperately worried about the future for our grandchildren across the UK. In 50s, 60s and into 70s it looked as though things were getting more equal and fairer to a large extent, but we are now being taken at break-neck speed back to the dark ages and a country of elite vs serfs.

Austerity has caused a lot of problems. It said on The One Show that there are 25% more kids in care now than in 2010, that is because surestart centres & youth clubs have been devastated by cuts, which are false economy in the long run. Austerity gets forgotten at budget time and tax cuts are doled out to millionaires. A relative told me yesterday that he earns just over the minimum wage as a gardener but his managers have hefty pay rises, 'I've stood out working in rain, snow & cold for them to get extra,' he said. He's really cross and said he'll never vote Tory again. He's like us, Labour all the way now.

I quite agree

Political discussions are tricky because they involve heart as well as head. But it is a matter of record that the debt has increased much more under the Tories than it did under Labour. It was low under Labour (36%of GDP), but went up in 2009, their last year in office, as a result of the recession (caused not by 'overspending' - they didn't - but by a world financial crisis provoked by speculation, after deregulation in the financial industry). It has since climbed a lot higher under the Tories - around 80% of GDP. (There are various ways of measuring debt, but this is one reliable index.)
It's also worth considering that if you cut public services you create a need for greater public expenditure through the consequences that have to be dealt with - chronic ill-health, drop-outs from education, increase in crime, general disorder, etc. And if you privatise public services, so that they are run for the benefit of shareholders, you also build up more expense in the long run (staffing cuts, government bale-outs when things go pear-shaped, etc.).

Don't ever forget Emiline Pankhurst - you must vote always at the least to spoil your ballot paper. Remember for the spoilt ballot paper to be counted you must deface inside the box only. If you scribble right across it -it doesn't count.

It doesn’t matter who I vote for because the conservatives have a stronghold in my area. Last time they had a majority of over 30,000. I don’t see the point in voting because other parties don’t get it.

MyCat and Nota I too feel politically homeless because of the main parties’ appalling positions on self-ID and because I feel Corbin is absolutely the wrong person to be Labour leader given his disgraceful voting record (against his own party) when he was a backbencher. Ultimately it’s hypocritical too given that little dissent is tolerated with momentum in charge. In addition there is Brexit and I was disgusted by the way he behaved during the referendum campaign.
So I am going to spoil my ballot paper too, (saying something like no to self-ID). Sad but I feel I can’t vote for any of the others but I still want to make a point.

I too can no longer vote for my MP as he has behaved very badly over all this.
I have voted for the same party all my life apart for a brief flirtation with UKIP before the referendum.
Nothing on earth would make me vote Labour even without Corbyn in charge (?)
I am just hoping for a good independent solution.
I could not NOT vote. My Mum would turn in her grave!

If you can't decide because of the way Brexit has been handled, then vote on other issues.
Homelessness, poverty, elderly care, the NHS, education, state asset sales, tax dodging - you are spoilt for choice on the other issues. Read the manifestos. Ignore the press proganda, listen to what they say directly, you can usually find the exact quotes on YouTube or online somewhere.
I really cannot understand how people can not vote when people are suffering so much.

Both parties do not manage as they should Labour gets us in to debt whilst Tories try to reduce the debt to quckly
both wste money through the mandarins and civil service proejcts that we cant really afford HS2 a prime example
a ministers reply fronm someone in his office says that councils are elected demoncratically can do what they want!
I dont remember who elects CEO,s of councills
and they waste money on their pet projects.

I don't go along with the view that sees the current Labour leadership as extremist - they are in favour of suporting public services, and a fairer society - basic social-democratic principles that would have seemed pretty normal before the dramatic shift rightwards that came with Thatcher. But many people in positions of influence (e.g. the Murdoch press) are appalled at the prospect of a socialist government and have set out to demonise Corbyn, surely a decent man by anyone's standards. (Compare the careerism and greed not just of certain Tory politicians but of Blair and his cronies.)

Do some research on the EU , how do the EU waste money
have a look at what the top officials earn and what they were earning before ,you would be shocked.
how many people are employed in Brussels ?

I learnt yesterday that the EU cut grants last year to the UK by 20% ????
they have been given too much time to make life difficult for the UK
have a look at which contries pay in and which countries have been baled out .
our own MPs have let the UK down stop arguing amongst them selves.
when we have a genral electiion we have to accept the will of the people have they forgotten that
Germany imoports touhe UK over £70 billion do they think that will change
where is our MP,s common sense ?

I think I will spoil my ballot paper then it doesn’t just seem I couldn’t be bothered.

A joke here about GE voting always made me laugh so I’ll share it here if I may.

‘An elderly couple are discussing the upcoming GE. Husband is a die hard Tory, his wife a staunch Labour supporter.

On the day of the election it’s raining cats & dogs.
The husband looks at his wife and says ‘why don’t we just not bother this time? Our votes cancel each other out anyway’ The wife says of course he is right.

Later that evening when the polling stations have closed the wife turns to her husband and says ‘I voted!’.

I think our politicians of all parties are a complete, self serving disgrace and feel completely disfranchised. I am hoping a new party will emerge eventually. Those of you who fervently support membership of the EU please give me some positive reasons for us surrendering our sovereignty, not just the usual fear factor guff.

I was once a "counter" for a poll. It was interesting to note that "spoiled" ballot papers have to be seen by every candidate (or their validated representative) in order to be "agreed" as "spoiled" and thus discounted as a vote for anyone. It occurred to me that if you couldn't face voting for any of the candidates, then you could at least write why on the ballot paper, and every candidate would know! Much better (in my view) than simply not voting at all.

I'll vote SNP again primarily because their policies as paddy set out meet my priorities.

I am very aware that even if every MP returned from Scotland were SNP we'd still be in thrall to the Westminster system and without root and branch reform the UK will go staggering on.
(Yes we have problems and I'm finding it distressing to see the position NS finds herself in.)

I am pleased with the impact SNP MPs are having in the HoC and Ian Blackford is clearly showing that they are not all about 'independence and nothing else'.

It really is desperate and the only solution I can see is stopping brexit entirely. But then we'd have more of the hypocritical comments about 'breach of democracy' when democracy has been trampled underfoot already.
Can't see that a short-term delay, ostensibly to re-negotiate, would work.
How would that tie in with the preparations needed for the upcoming euro elections?
Shambles and chaos rule and the cracks are far too wide to paper over with calls to "be patient , to wait and see". We've waited. We've seen.
What now?

I have just listened to a debate on the Jeremy Vine show, discussing the pros and cons of people over the age of "75" not being allowed to vote as they would not be "alive"much longer and the issues around today are not really relevant to the older generation!!!!
Also that all 16 year olds should have a vote.

One of the callers pointed out that wars have been started by tax payers being denied the vote, and suggested that if the older generation are to be denied the vote then they should also be excempt from paying all taxes?

I shall be voting for our sitting MP who on a local level seems ok, as I could not "not cast my vote", as I think it is my duty as a citizen. If I do not vote what right do I have to complain about the state of the country etc., when I decided not to have any input.

I have voted in every election and referendum since I was 21. After the travesty of Brexit and the behaviour of many MPs I wouldn’t know which way to vote in the next election. If Yvette Cooper or Keir Starmer became Labour leader I would probably vote Labour but it would depend what is in their manifesto.

Corbyn’s speeches are always in keeping with the majority, hence his fence sitting through the brexit war, he waits to see which way the wind blows.

Wirral is Labour so I'd let them get on with it by sitting back and not bothering. The only time you ever see a politician is at times of a general election anyway so they can all naff off.

Labour are best kept for local elections but I'm not sure if Corbyn can deliver as regards a general, although a speech he made last week was more in keeping with the majority of the British public but whether he could hold us to his promises would indeed remain to be seen.

It is a big problem. I live in a safe Labour seat, so however I vote will make no difference. I still feel strongly that we should all use our vote. I have in the past voted either Labour or Lib Dem, more recently Green, which I realise is just a protest vote. I have never voted Tory, and still wouldn’t.

I’m certainly not voting Labour while Corbyn is leader. Perhaps I’ll go for Lib Dem, depending on the candidate.

Yes, let's have a breakaway SNP in the West Midlands. I'd vote for them. Like others on here, I have always voted, but this time I can't see any party worth my vote. It's deeply worrying and also

The Conservative party won’t split, many expected the Labour Party to split, there was the vote of no confidence in Corbyn, the publication of ‘the hit list’, .labour MP’s threatened with deselection, Corbyn unable to form a full front bench , talk of secret meetings to discuss a breakaway party.

I've mentioned before about my US friend who is a typical West Coast liberal - she voted for Clinton with a peg on her nose.

Again harking back, some years ago on GN we discussed abstaining from voting as a positive move, rather than those who just CBA. However, I think most on here feel obliged to vote so like others I'll vote for the least worse option, with a peg on my nose.

I keep thinking some new pro EU party will emerge led by some charismatic, capable person who us disenfranchised can vote for. It may happen , as these things happen in uncertain times. Still pigs might fly. Whoever happens our so called democracy is in a mess. Those people hoping for the demise of the EU should look Inward at our system first.